Today, Friday, the European Union announced the imposition of a new package of sanctions on the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements, in a move it said came as part of its efforts to tighten measures against individuals and entities accused of supporting or financing activities linked to the two movements.
According to what was reported by Reuters, the sanctions include freezing assets within European Union countries, prohibiting the provision of financing or economic resources to persons and entities listed on the sanctions lists, in addition to imposing restrictions on travel to EU countries.
The European Union explained, in a statement, that the new measures come within the framework of periodic updating of the sanctions regime related to what it describes as “terrorist activities” in the Middle East, in light of the continuing war and regional tensions.
The new package included the inclusion of 10 additional people on the sanctions list, most of them members of the Hamas political bureau, which expands the scope of European measures imposed on the movement and Islamic Jihad.
The European Union considered that the persons subject to the new sanctions “promote, justify, or defend acts of violence,” noting that members of the Political Bureau play an influential role in drawing up the movement’s policies and making its decisions.
The statement stressed that this step completes the sanctions regime established in January 2024 against individuals and entities that “support, facilitate, or enable” the activities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Under the new update, the number of people subject to this system of sanctions has increased to 21 people, in addition to 3 entities listed on European regulations.
The new European sanctions come at a time when the war in the Gaza Strip continues, amid escalating political and diplomatic pressure on various parties, in conjunction with international efforts to revive understandings related to the ceasefire and management of the Strip in the post-war period.
